Arming device



Nov

P. a. WERMAGER ETAL ARMING DEVICE 2 Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 20, 1961 Y AT ORNE Y5 TORs PALMER a WERMAGER w/u. M M MMERS CAM/W mm. 5 Q

United States Patent ARMING DEVICE Palmer G. Wermager, Minneapolis, and William M. Magers, Coon Rapids, Minn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Nov. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 153,766 2 Claims. (Cl. 89-65) This invention relates generally to safety devices for use with guided missiles, and more particularly it pertains to an unlocking mechanism for releasing the safety latch and arming the booster in preparation to a firing operation for a missile weapon.

In modern warfare, it is no longer desirable to manually release the safety latch of large weapons. Instead, this operation is required to be done remotely and automatically.

It is an object of this invention, therefore to provide a mechanism which can be remotely operated to extend and rotate an arming tool for a missile weapon in a positive rapid manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arming mechanism which can be remotely controlled to select a desired arming tool for extension to a missile weapon for releasing its arming device.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a dimetric view, partly cutaway, of an arming device for a missile weapon incorporating features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the tool cylinder, with one tool removed, showing its relation to the main plunger; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the tool cylinder retainer.

Referring now to the details of the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the arming device assembly consists basically of a mechanism which arms an igniter in a booster of a guided missile weapon. It is hydraulically operated with two sets of movements associated therewith, namely extend-retract, and wind and unwind. It can be interlocked electrically for synchronized operation with a launcher.

An arming tool selector piston 12 is associated with this arming device 10. This selector piston 12 positions one of two arming tools 14 or 16, shown best in FIGS.

.2 and 3, depending on the requirements of the type of i missile weapon.

The arming device 10 is vertically mounted on a launcher (not shown) and it consists of two groups of components, one group of which is mounted on an upper shaft housing 18 and the other group of which is mounted on a lower mounting plate 20. The upper and lower groups of components are joined by a common plunger 22 and a return spring 24. The upper housing 18 and T the lower plate are fastened to a common weldment I in the launcher.

I I The lower group of components of the arming device 10 consists of a cylinder 26 and two joined retainers,

Patented Nov. 12, 1963 namely a spring retainer 28 and a cylinder retainer 30.

As shown best in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 arming tools 14 and 16 are vertically housed and spaced off-center on a common radius in the cylinder 26, which is rotatable in ball bearings 32 in a bearing retainer 34. With this arrangement, the selector piston 12 can rotate the cylinder 26 on its axis to bring the selected arming tool 14 or 16 in line with the extend-retract plunger 22.

The mounting plate 20 is secured on the cylinder retainer 36 and it supports the previously mentioned tool selector piston 12 and an anchor post 36 for an overcenter spring loaded lock 38 as best shown in FIG. 2.

The lock 38 consists of a pair of flanged concentric sleeves 40 and 42 that share a common compression coiled spring 44. One sleeve 40 is pivotally mounted upon the anchor post 36 and the other sleeve 42 is pinned to one end of a pull bar 46 and a link 48.

The pull bar 46 is essentially a projection extending from the side of the arming tool cylinder. The link 48 is connected to the plunger Stl of the selector piston 12.

A switch actuator arm 52 is mounted to the cylinder 26 above the pull bar 46 and the link 48. It actuates one of two spaced electrical interlock switches 54 to indicate which arming tool 14 or 16 is in position for use. The spring loaded lock 3% acts as a detent. It has two stable positions corresponding to the 110 degree separation of the two tools 14 and 16 in the cylinder 26.

The interlock switches 54 are mounted to a bracket 56 on the cylinder retainer 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the cylinder retainer 30 has an overhang 58 which extends over the cylinder 26. It is in this overhang 58 that a T-shaped slot 60 inthe end of the plunger 22 engages with a T-shaped key 62 on the selected tool 16 (or tool 14) in the manner shown in FIG. 3.

A guide hole 64 is provided in the overhang 58 of the cylinder retainer 30. A semi-circular T-shaped groove 66 is machined in the underside of the overhang 58 so as to intersect the guide hole 64 as shown in FIG. 4. When the end of plunger 22 is positioned in the guide hole 64, the slot 60 thereof is contiguous with this groove 66 forming a curved track in which the keys 62 of the tools 14 and 16 can travel.

As best shown in FIG. 1 the arming tool 14 (and tool 16) are each provided with a universal joint 68 so that when extended they can accept a certain amount of misalignment with the missile weapon. In addition, each tool 14 and 16 is provided with safety fracture groove 70 which breaks oif in case the missile Weapon should accidently move While still engaged therewith.

The upper group of components of the arming device 10 consist in a vertical cylindrical shaft housing 18 and a rectangular valve block 72 horizontally mounted thereon. Inside the shaft housing 18, there is slidably positioned a movable extend cylinder '74. The lower end of this extend cylinder 74 is splined to the inside of a cylindrical plunger 76, which, in turn, is secured to the top end of the plunger 22. An override spring 78 is housed within the lower end of this cylinder 74 and the plunger 76 arrangement on suitable retainer rings so as to form a slidable cushion joint therebetween.

The extend cylinder 74 contains a piston-like arming shaft 8%). The lower part of the arming shaft 80 consists of a piston head 82, the upper end of which is mounted on a ball bearing 84 secured in the valve block 72. The

arming shaft St) is arranged so that it cannot move up or down but is rotatably mounted within the bearing 84, and near its upper end, the shaft is made hydraulically tight to the valve block 72.

The arming shaft 80 is splined to a pinion 86. A long lower spline 88 on the arming shaft 81] meshes with an internal spline 99 at the top portion of the extend cylinder '74 and thus allows the latter to extend and retract and to be rotated by the pinion 86.

Near its lower end, the extend cylinder '74 is closed by a plug 92 which bears against the override spring 78, thus forming an expansion space 81 defined by the plug 92 and piston head 82.

Arming shaft 80 is provided with an adapter 94 housing its upper end. Hydraulic pressure fluid can be piped to this adapter 94 and caused to flow through a side tap and a vertical axial passageway (not shown) through the piston head 82 and into its expansion space below.

The upper portion 96 of the extend cylinder 74 is made hydraulically tight to the inner wall of shaft housing 18 and it defines an annular expansion chamber 98 therebelow which terminates in a hydraulic conduit port 190. By alternating the flow of hydraulic pressure fluid either to the adapter 94 or to the port the extend cylinder 74 can be made to move downwardly or upwardly at will to extend or retract the arming tool 14 (or tool 16).

The valve block 72 houses a wind-unwind piston 102 having rack teeth 104 cut into its side. A detent 166 at each end thereof locks the piston 102 at each extreme position corresponding to the wound or unwound position of the tool 14 (or tool 16). This piston 102 is also operated from a source of hydraulic pressure fluid.

An interlock switch 108 operated by an arm (not shown) on the top of the arming shaft 80' indicates the wound position electrically. Another similar switch (not shown) indicates the unwound position. A pair of switches 116 similarly indicate the extend or retract position as an actuator arm 112 moves downwardly or upwardly with the extend cylinder 74.

In operation the system functions as follows: a missile (not shown) is placed in the launcher and after preliminary preparation for firing it is ready to have the safety latch released, thereby arming the missile.

Hydraulic fluid, under pressure, is introduced through adapter 94 so that it flows into annular expansion chamber 81 causing the extend cylinder 74 to slide downward along lower spline 88 and internal spline 90. This downward movement continues until plunger 22, which is secured to cylindrical plunger 76 which in turn is splined to cylinder 74, passes through guide hole 64 in cylinder retainer 30 and stops flush with the top of cylinder 26, the fully extended position of extend cylinder 74 being indicated by the closing of limit switch 110 and the lighting of an associated indicator lamp (not shown).

Now hydraulic fluid is applied to selector piston 12 causing its plunger 50 and link 48 to move thereby rotating cylinder 26 within cylinder retainer 30 until either tool 14 or 16 (depending upon the type desired) is aligned with and positioned under guide hole 64 and therefore the end of plunger 22. Completion of this rotation of cylinder 26 is signaled by the closing of the appropriate interlock switch 54 when it is activated by actuator arm 52, the cylinder being locked in place by lock 38. It should be noted here that as cylinder 26 is turned under the influence of selector piston 12, the keys 62 atop arming tools 14 and 16 are moved along the T-groove 66 located in overhang 58 of cylinder retainer 30, and since plunger 22 is already extended so that its lower end is flush with the top of cylinder 26, slot 60' in plunger 22 is contiguous with T-groove 66. This results in key 62 sliding into slot 60 firmly joining arming tool 14 or 16 with plunger 22. Further extension of plunger 22 by means of over-ride spring 78 carries arming tool 14 or 16 beyond the confines of cylinder 26 and into the arming slot of the missile to be fired. In case of slight misalignment between the missile and the launcher, fracture groove 70 will serve to shear off the arming tool.

Once the arming tool has been inserted in the arming slot of the missile, hydraulic pressure is applied to valve block 72 causing piston 162 to extend, this in turn rotating pinion 86 due to the meshing of its teeth with the teeth on rack 104, complete rotation being signaled by switch 108 and the plunger 102 being held in place through the action of detent 106. Since pinion 86 is keyed to arming shaft which in turn is integral with extend cylinder 74, which in turn is integral with plunger 22, which is now attached to arming tool 14 or 16, any rotation of pinion 86 likewise rotates the arming tool to thereby arm the missile just prior to firing it from the launcher.

Unwinding and retracting the tool is accomplished by applying pressure in the reverse direction to the various actuating plungers and finally raising the entire mechanism by applying pressure to port at the bottom of extend cylinder 74.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An arming device for missiles comprising:

a plurality of arming tools,

a cylinder having the tools mounted in separate positions thereon,

a cylinder retainer positioned to support said cylinder and to receive the ends of said tools,

a circular T-shaped slot in one of the walls of the cylinder retainer,

a circular aperture in the same wall of the cylinder retainer and positioned to intersect the T-shaped slot,

an extendable shaft located adjacent said cylinder retainer and positioned to enter said circular aperture so that when the shaft extends it enters the circular aperture,

a T-shaped groove in the lower end of said extendable shaft of similar dimensions as the T-shaped groove in the retainer cylinder wall so that when the shaft is in the circular aperture the groove defined by the grooves of the shaft and the cylinder retainer wall is contiguous and uninterrupted,

a T-shaped key in the end of the arming tools which extends into the cylinder retainer of such dimensions that it will ride in the T-shaped grooves of the retainer cylinder,

a power operated selector piston connected to the cylinder in a manner whereby movement of the selector piston causes rotation of the cylinder which in turn causes the arming tools mounted in the cylinder to move along the groove into contact with the T-shaped key of the extendable shaft located in the circular aperture, with the result that the arming tool and the extendable shaft are integrally locked together,

power means for extending and retracting said extendable shaft,

integrally locked tool means for rotating the extendable shaft, and

means for retracting the extendable shaft and tool when the arming function has been completed.

2. An arming device for missiles comprising:

a plurality of arming tools,

a cylinder having the tools mounted in separate positions thereon,

a cylinder retainer positioned to support said cylinder and to receive the ends of said tools,

a circular T-shaped slot in one of the walls of the cylinder retainer,

a circular aperture in the same wall of the cylinder retainer and positioned to intersect the T-shaped slot,

an extendable shaft located adjacent said cylinder retainer and positioned to enter said circular aperture so that when the shaft extends it enters the circular aperture,

T-shaped groove in the lower end of said extendable shaft of similar dimensions as the T-shaped groove in the retainer cylinder Wall so that when the shaft is in the circular aperture the groove defined by the grooves of the shaft and the cylinder retainer Wall is contiguous and uninterrupted,

" T-shaped key in the end of the arming tools which extends into the cylinder retainer of such dimensions that it will ride in the T-shaped grooves of the retainer cylinder,

power means for extending and retracting said extenda'ole shaft,

integrally locked tool means for rotating the extendable shaft, and

means for retracting the extendable sl aft and tool 2,227,582 Hillrnan et al. Jan. 7, 1941 22?,701 lelinek et al. Jan. 28, 1941 2,442,401 Dabrasky et a1. June 1, 1948 2,450,553 Jorgensen Oct. 5, 1948 2,679,770 Carter et al. June 1, 1954 2,911,858 Sawade Nov. 10, 1959 3,049,976 Eereth et a1 Aug. 21, 1962 

1. AN ARMING DEVICE FOR MISSILES COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF ARMING TOOLS, A CYLINDER HAVING THE TOOLS MOUNTED IN SEPARATE POSITIONS THEREON, A CYLINDER RETAINER POSITIONED TO SUPPORT SAID CYLINDER AND TO RECEIVE THE ENDS OF SAID TOOLS, A CIRCULAR T-SHAPED SLOT IN ONE OF THE WALLS OF THE CYLINDER RETAINER, A CIRCULAR APERTURE IN THE SAME WALL OF THE CYLINDER RETAINER AND POSITIONED TO INTERSECT THE T-SHAPED SLOT, AN EXTENDABLE SHAFT LOCATED ADJACENT SAID CYLINDER RETAINER AND POSITIONED TO ENTER SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE SO THAT WHEN THE SHAFT EXTENDS IT ENTERS THE CIRCULAR APERTURE, A T-SHAPED GROOVE IN THE LOWER END OF SAID EXTENDABLE SHAFT OF SIMILAR DIMENSIONS AS THE T-SHAPED GROOVE IN THE RETAINER CYLINDER WALL SO THAT WHEN THE SHAFT IS IN THE CIRCULAR APERTURE THE GROOVE DEFINED BY THE GROOVES OF THE SHAFT AND THE CYLINDER RETAINER WALL IS CONTIGUOUS AND UNINTERRUPTED, 